


Sir Boyd

by Autumnalpalmetto



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Elizabethan AU, F/M, marriage proposals, printing press au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:42:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26228875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Autumnalpalmetto/pseuds/Autumnalpalmetto
Summary: Danielle Wilds was the older daughter of an innovative man. He started a printing business at the right time, allowing him early access to the riches of Queen Elizabeth’s rule. Such a relief after the last twenty years of strife in the country. Her father was absent, leaving for work early and coming home late, but he provided well for them. Well enough that they were at the beginning of Danielle’s life, almost considered poor, and now, 20 years later, well into the middle class.
Relationships: Matt Boyd/Danielle "Dan" Wilds
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11
Collections: AFTG Bingo Blackout 2020 - Cupcakes, All For The Game Bingo 2020





	Sir Boyd

**Author's Note:**

> aftg bingo elizabethan au

Danielle Wilds was the older daughter of an innovative man. He started a printing business at the right time, allowing him early access to the riches of Queen Elizabeth’s rule. Such a relief after the last twenty years of strife in the country. Her father was absent, leaving for work early and coming home late, but he provided well for them. Well enough that they were at the beginning of Danielle’s life, almost considered poor, and now, 20 years later, well into the middle class.

Tutors had been hired for the younger children, as they were born after the money had started to come in, but Danielle was unlucky enough to have little formal education. Having been born before the family had wealth, she had not been offered the same advancements as her younger siblings. Her mother had died in childbirth when she was four, giving them with a boy as she passed. A few years later Danielle’s father remarried, and six more children came. There were four years between Danielle and the second oldest, and another three between Danielle and the third eldest. Danielle learned how to read and write as her siblings had, but she did not have the finer experiences of learning harp or poetry as they did.

She was neither bitter nor jealous that they were gifted more knowledge than she was, for she knew her father better. The younger children rarely saw him as he worked so much, but Danielle was old enough to remember when he was younger, and also old enough to see the world and know what he did. Her father printed books that held more knowledge than any one person could ever know. They had three copies of the Bible in English, as well as other religious texts now allowed under Queen Elizabeth.The younger children’s mother collected herbals, and any texts on medicine she could find. She worked with him, as the younger children’s mother was often with child and could not be of assistance. Working around the printing press taught her more than a tutor ever could have.

Danielle was old enough to do as she pleased in her free time, having aged out of school, and with the younger children being taught by tutors she was not needed at home. She helped where she could, but it was not a woman’s world and she could not do as much as she wanted to. When they were poor, her mother had been able to go to the market and collect everything they needed, now, however, they had servants to do that sort of thing. A cook made their meals, the servants cleaned and set the fires, leaving little for her.

Men came and went from the factory, never interesting her. Whether they be workers or gentlemen coming in to barter an offer for printing, she paid them no mind, though she caught the eye of more than a few of them. The poor workers her father paid no mind to, as time went on he started to eye the gentlemen who came in. One man, nobility, came in often, and only while Danielle was there. He took her father to the backroom and had long conversations with him, always leaving with a long face.

“What man,” her father said after his fifth trip to the backroom with the man, “wants to marry you.”

Danielle would only marry for love, and she told her father as much. He knew her strong will well enough that he would not debate her, but he reminded her his wealth and security for her were limited.

The next time the man came in Danielle paid more attention to him. He was tall, so much so that she had never laid eyes on a man with such height. And he was handsome, but no more so than other nobility. His way of dressing let everyone know he was the richest person in the room, save the Queen of course, if he were to ever meet her. Danielle did not know how likely that was. This time he came for business, which he always did, but there was only business this time as he did not ask her father to the back room.

“Another fine payment,” her father said. “Sir Boyd is responsible for half my orders and half my wealth, my dear, he would make a fine husband for any woman.”

“Father, I have never spoken with him, how may I dare to know him if I can not speak to him?” Danielle asked.

Her father smiled slightly. “My dear, you do not need to know him. Only that he will provide for you and any children you may have.”

Sir Boyd did not come back for a fortnight, so long that Danielle thought he had given up on her. She was not interested in his wealth or his status, but she enjoyed the idea that he cared about what she wanted. Her father told her that he did not offer riches in exchange for her hand, he offered only a chance at happiness. Danielle hardly believed that. Any man as rich as he could offer a sum and get the hand of any woman he pleased, if he were so inclined.

When he came back again, it was on a day Danielle was home, ill with a strong cold. She sat in bed for a week frustrated that she had missed her chance to talk to him thanks to her illness. Sir Boyd sent well wishes and prayers for a quick recovery.

In the meantime, pages were printed, and books were made.

As Danielle recovered, she ventured to the factory once more with her father, who looked happy to see her so well. She got to work on her tasks, assisting her father with his orders and anything else he may need. When she looked up Sir Boyd was standing in the doorway with one of the printing press operators.

Her father greeted him and introduced them, allowing them to talk for a respectable amount of time. Danielle asked after the health of his family, and he did the same for her. It was all very polite and perfectly civil. Could she marry a man who was so perfectly poised?

As Sir Boyd stopped by for business regularly, they had the chance to talk regularly, often about printing, but not always. She learned he was an only child and his father was often away for long periods of time. In return, she shared more about her family and herself. Within a few weeks, she went from thinking of him as perfectly poised to pretending to be perfect. Danielle realized there was a sizable amount of acting required to be nobility, and she was glad she had been to the theater so many times.

It took two months for Sir Boyd to ask her father into the backroom again. Danielle was almost certain that he had lost interest in her now that they were becoming friends. However, when they exited the back room Sir Boyd looked elated while her father held out a hand to her.

“My dear child,” he said with a soft smile. “Come, speak with me.”

Danielle was wrong, Sir Boyd did ask her father if he could marry her. She was also wrong in assuming he was the kind of man who would offer money for marriage, as Sir Boyd told her father he was marrying her for love. He did all the customary things as well, but love was at the heart of it.

She hugged her father as she agreed she was in love with Sir Boyd too.

When she went out to talk to him he smiled at her.

“You may call me Matthew, that is my Christian name.”


End file.
